“In web development, a mashup is a web page or application that combines data or functionality from two or more external sources to create a new service.”“A mashup application is typically characterized as a lightweight integration of application widget components (for example deployed as an HTML page with associated widgets packaged as WAR files) rendered within a browser.” Adams, H., Mashup business scenarios and patterns: Part 1, IBM 27 Jan. 2009 (hereinafter “Adams”) “The use of mashups to address enterprise needs has progressed in the adoption curve to the point where the growth is becoming exponential . . . More times than not, a solution for one industry can be deployed horizontally to cover other industries with similar needs.” Adams. “A situational mashup is created for a unique business need and is often utilized only for short periods of time while the business situation exists.” Adams.
Mashups and situational applications are being created on the fly with the end users themselves having the power and flexibility to tap software services and components on demand as the building blocks. Web 2.0 is shifting the fulcrum to the client side with the client capability jumping leaps and bounds. This in turn is unleashing a model in which a lot of component providers are supplying granular, pluggable components and services that can be used in a new application context.